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Jane Helgeson
JANE ODETTE HELGESON
Ely
Jane Odette Helgeson, 97, of Ely, formerly of Homestead, died Dec. 27, 2016, at Colonial Manor, Amana. Services: 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, at First Lutheran Church, Conroy. Visitation: 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Burial: First Lutheran Cemetery, Conroy.
Jane was born Feb. 27, 1919, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Robert and Blanche (Geismar) Rice. She graduated from McKinley High School, Cedar Rapids, in 1936. During high school, Jane and some friends would meet for potlucks, then go to the school football or basketball games. After graduation, Jane and her friends met at a reunion and decided to have a round robin letter between about 12 of them. She attended Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls. Jane and a friend went to Danceland one night and that is where she met Olin Helgeson. They married July 2, 1961, at First Lutheran Church in Conroy, and spent many happy years together.
Olin belonged to El Kahir Shrine Temple and Jane was a member of Daughters of the Nile where she became Queen in 1973. Jane and Olin enjoyed working at the Shrine hospitals. She also worked at the Iowa Theatre and Iowa Power & Electric Co. Jane owned and operated The Pepper Mill out of her Homestead residence. Jane offered herbs, spices, teas, potpourri, Watkins products and local crafts. She was the accountant for Helgeson Family Tile Drainage Co., where she was awarded Contractor's Wife of the Year.
Jane volunteered on the Democratic Central Committee and opened her home to many political figures. She also was a 50-year member of Eastern Star Cedar Chapter and Daughters of the Nile Ortho Temple.
Survivors include her daughter, Kathleen Mathews of Cedar Rapids; stepdaughter, Cathy (Greg) Franzenburg of Keystone; stepgrandchildren, Elysha (Casey) Goodgion, Geoff (Christy) Franzenburg and Tyler Franzenburg; and five stepgreat-granddaughters.
Jane was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Olin.
The family would like to extend a special thank-you to the staff at Hospice of Mercy for their loving care of Jane.
Memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church, PO Box 27, Conroy, IA 52220.
Please share a memory of Jane at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
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